GAMING MACHINE CHAIR AND WAGERING GAME SYSTEMS AND MACHINES WITH A GAMING CHAIR

• US 20110111847A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LNW Gaming Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WMS Gaming Incorporated (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Lesley, Paul M., Glenn, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,678,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/12 Theatre, auditorium, or similar chairs seats detachably mounted on stadium benches A47C1/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/72 Adaptations for incorporating lamps, radio sets, bars, telephones, ventilation, heating or cooling arrangements or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/723 with display screens
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/727 with speakers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/21 characterised by their sensors, purposes or types
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/90 Constructional details or arrangements of video game devices not provided for in groups A63F13/20 or A63F13/25, e.g. housing, wiring, connections or cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1043 being characterized by constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3216 Construction aspects of a gaming system, e.g. housing, seats, ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/023 in a chair, pillow

Abstract

Gaming machine chairs and wagering game systems and machines with a gaming chair are presented herein. A gaming chair is disclosed that includes a base, a seat portion supported by the base, one or more speaker assemblies, and a backrest assembly. The backrest assembly includes a backrest and a mounting frame. The mounting frame has a polymeric honeycombed body comprising a plurality of ribs that define an array of compartments. Optionally, the mounting frame body has at least one contoured face. The mounting frame is attached to the backrest and speaker assembly, coupling both the backrest and speaker assembly to the base. The mounting frame may be fabricated with numerous fastening regions that are integrally formed with the polymeric body. In this optional configuration, at least some of the fastening regions lie in a respective plane divergent from the other fastening regions.

Claims

1. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

at least one display configured to display outcomes of the wagering game;

at least one wager input device configured to receive wagers from players; and

a gaming chair, including;

a base;

a seat portion attached to the base;

at least one speaker assembly;

a backrest; and

a mounting frame having a polymeric body with at least one contoured face, the mounting frame being attached to the backrest and the at least one speaker assembly, the mounting frame operatively attaching both the backrest and the at least one speaker assembly to the base.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame has a first portion with a first thickness and a second portion with a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame has a first region with a first contoured shape and a second region with a second contoured shape different from the first contoured shape.

4. The gaming system of claim 3, wherein the first contoured shape comprises a first curvilinear profile having a first set of dimensions, and the second contoured shape comprises a second curvilinear profile having a second set of dimensions.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame has first and second fastening regions integrally formed with the mounting frame body, the first fastening region lying in a first plane and the second fastening region lying in a second plane different from the first plane.

6. The gaming system of claim 5, wherein the first plane is angularly offset from the second plane.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame body comprises a first plurality of ribs connected to and generally transverse with a second plurality of ribs to collectively define a plurality of compartments.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame body comprises a plurality of variable-thickness ribs cooperatively defining the at least one contoured face.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame defines a slot, and the at least one speaker assembly includes a mating surface complimentary with the slot such that the mating surface is slidably received in the slot and the at least one speaker assembly seats within the slot and couples to the mounting frame.

10. The gaming system of claim 9, wherein the at least one speaker assembly includes a first shell member attached to a second shell member via a central connector, the central connector providing the complimentary mating surface.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the gaming chair further comprises a rear trim, the backrest being attached to a front side of the mounting frame and the rear trim being attached to a rear side of the mounting frame, the mounting frame and the at least one speaker assembly being sandwiched between the backrest and the rear trim.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one lighting assembly including a light source and a reflective surface, the at least one lighting assembly being attached to a rear trim of the gaming chair such that the light source and the reflective surface are not viewable from a player position.

13. The gaming system of claim 12, wherein the light source is concealed by the rear trim of the gaming chair, the light source emitting light in a first direction through a lens in the rear trim to the reflective surface, and the reflective surface redirecting light in a second direction away from the player position.

14. A gaming system for playing at least one wagering game, the gaming system comprising:

at least one display configured to display an outcome of the at least one wagering game, the outcome being randomly selected from a plurality of wagering game outcomes;

at least one wager input device configured to receive a wager from a player to play the at least one wagering game;

at least one player input device configured to receive play input from the player; and

a gaming chair including a base, a seat portion supported on the base, a speaker assembly, a backrest, and an internal mounting frame having a polymeric body comprising a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of compartments, the internal mounting frame being attached to and supporting both the backrest and the speaker assembly.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the mounting frame has an upper region with a first thickness, a lower region with a second thickness greater than the first thickness, and an intermediate region between the upper and lower regions, the intermediate region having a third thickness less than both the first and second thicknesses.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the internal mounting frame has a plurality of fastening regions integrally formed with the mounting frame body, each fastening region lying in a respective plane divergent from the other fastening regions.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the internal mounting frame defines an elongated slot configured to slidably receive the speaker assembly, the speaker assembly being seated within the elongated slot and fixed to the mounting frame body.

18. The gaming system of claim 17, wherein the elongated slot is generally U-shaped, the speaker assembly including a first shell member attached to a second shell member via a central cylindrical connector, the central cylindrical connector being received in the U-shaped slot and having an outer diameter approximately equal to the lateral width of the U-shaped slot.

19. The gaming system of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one lighting assembly including a light source and a reflective surface, wherein the light source is housed between the mounting frame and a rear trim of the gaming chair, the light source emitting light in a first direction through the rear trim to the reflective surface, the reflective surface redirecting light in a second direction away from a player position.

20. The gaming system of claim 19, wherein the at least one lighting assembly is attached to the rear trim of the gaming chair such that the light source and the reflective surface are not visible from the player position.

21. A gaming chair for a wagering game system or machine, comprising:

a base;

a seat portion supported by the base;

a mounting frame with a polymeric body having a first contoured face in opposing spaced relation to a second contoured face;

a backrest attached to the mounting frame; and

a speaker assembly attached to the mounting frame;

wherein the mounting frame operatively attaches the backrest and the speaker assembly to the base.

22. The gaming chair of claim 21, further comprising at least one of a wiring harness and a wireless interface operatively coupling the gaming chair to the wagering game system or machine.

23. A gaming system for playing a wagering game, comprising:

at least one display for displaying randomly selected outcomes of the wagering game;

at least one wager input device for receiving wagers from players; and

a gaming chair including a seat portion, a backrest, a speaker assembly, and a mounting frame coupled to the seat portion and the speaker assembly, the mounting frame including at least one curved contoured face to which the backrest is attached.

24. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the mounting frame has a slot providing a U-shape to the mounting frame, the speaker assembly being positioned within the slot.

25. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the mounting frame has first mounting surfaces for receiving fasteners coupling the seat portion to the mounting frame, the mounting frame having second mounting surfaces for receiving fasteners coupling the speaker assembly to the mounting frame, the first mounting surfaces being on a different plane than the second mounting surfaces.

26. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the at least one contoured face is defined by end portions of a plurality of structural ribs on the mounting frame.

27. The gaming system of claim 23, wherein the gaming chair further includes at least one actuator providing movement to the chair, the at least one curved contoured face of the mounting frame helping to maintain a player'"'"'s position on the gaming chair when the gaming chair is moving.